Understanding of Polytheism
While the opposite word "Shirk," or polytheism, is the main thing that was opposed by the Prophet. It is a bad moral that clearly goes beyond the limits.
On this occasion, I will invite you to discuss further about polytheism.
What is the actual definition of polytheism, or shirk in the view of Islam?
The word shirk originally means associating with others. For example, you and I are in an alliance to make a company. Anything that is called forming an active association is called syariqah. Shirk is considering something that is the same as God, or that helps God. So, Allah himself is considered less capable, so he needs a helper who is of the same rank as God, so that person considers it to be part of God. His son, his father, his wife, that person is called a polytheist.
But if we pray, then someone else says yes, or a senior kyai says yes, we say yes, that is not polytheist. That is asking Allah, but the one who asks is one of us who is the most pious, the most senior, we consider the closest to Allah, please pray, we all say yes. That is not from us making polytheists of Allah with the kyai who we consider pious, no.
So let's say this kyai recommends, or joins in asking for what we want. Likewise when visiting a grave. Visiting the grave of the Prophet, for example, istiqfar, praying beside, next to the grave of the Prophet, then the Prophet also recommends, surely Allah will hear.
"Indeed, if they, when they wronged themselves, came to you (Muhammad), and asked Allah for forgiveness, and the Messenger also asked forgiveness for them, they would surely find Allah Most Accepting of Repentance, Most Merciful." [QS. An-Nisa : 64].
I want to discuss a little about the contents of the Qur'an and also the hadith, there are several forms of polytheism in the Qur'an, or also the hadith.
Yes, when we consider there are two Gods, it is called polytheism. It is no longer Lailahaillallah. If there were a God other than Allah, then the heavens and the earth would be destroyed, this world would be destroyed, if there were two Gods. With the existence of an orderly, well-managed nature, the sunnatullah runs well. That's good, it rains, plants grow, plants grow, in the morning the sun rises from the east, sets in the west.
Therefore, if there were a God other than Allah, it would be destroyed, the management of this world would be destroyed and messy. Therefore, someone who truly believes in Allah, he can say Kun Fayakun. Please believe it or not. Many scholars have this kind of charisma, the saints who get charisma like that, which is called saktilah, yes okay.
Like Sunan Kalijaga, Raden Fatah, when building the Demak Mosque. Before the mosque was built, how to find the correct direction of prayer. There were no tools at that time. It is said that climbing a coconut tree, the Kaaba can be seen. You must think that's a fairy tale, right?
But now it has been proven, it has been proven that the direction of the Demak Mosque is the most correct. The direction of the Demak Mosque is not deviated at all, it is the most precise. Even though at that time without any tools.
We also should not consider someone who has said La ilahaillallah an infidel, even though we do not know his heart, but it is clear that he has said La ilahaillallah.
Whoever believes in La ilahaillallah during his life will definitely go to heaven, even if he goes to hell first, he will be washed there first. So, if there are people we consider to be less correct, we consider them deviant,
"Wow, that's polytheistic, that's deviant, that's an infidel, that's an apostate, you'll be the polytheist, you'll be the infidel".
A small example, people say this
"Whoever practices something that is not practiced by the Messenger of Allah, is heretical."
Many say things like that. You yourself are speaking Indonesian, now I ask, did the Prophet ever speak Indonesian,
No, right?
So let us not be quick to say that everything is heresy. Like we communicate, or give sermons using Indonesian, whatever, it means we are committing heresy. Because our culture is like this, we are not an Arab culture, Islam is Islam. But Indonesia is not Arab. It means we can practice this religion, this law well, without us having to worry.
Don't be quick with this mouth, this action, or this heart to blame others. If we are wrong, we are the ones who have to bear the consequences of our behavior in accusing others, even our brothers who have said La ilahaillallah. Don't be like that, if we have ever done something like that, quickly we repent, quickly we seek forgiveness from Allah, because in any case Allah is the one who has the right to determine our level. Hopefully it is useful.
Greetings always compact.
By @midiagam